Populism and the Commodification of American Politics

When I open Instagram, nearly half of my feed consists of political rants and not quite formed monologues on everything wrong with this country, as well as the creator’s perfect plan to fix  it. This usually emphasizes that dissenters are always wrong, since they, themselves, must be right. These people tend to be no more than momentary activists using their platforms for a cause they support, but they lack expertise. Similarly, leading up to and in the aftermath of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, I saw people who weren’t even old enough to vote give their two cents on who should run the country for the next four years. This highlighted not only the extent of campaigning done by both parties but also the role young people play in being influenced and influencing others. As politics intrudes into social media and imbeds itself into conversations between even the most apolitical people, many have begun to view political apathy and moderation as dishonest and coldhearted mentalities.

This fervor surrounding modern politics that younger generations have is a result of populism—a political weapon that uses sound-bite speeches and bold strokes to stir the masses on an issue that they may not have previously been invested in. Notable politicians known for wielding populism as a way to spread awareness of their respective arguments include prominent party figures Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. A populist politician stirs crowds into fueled rages against “the elite,” and although they’re on opposite sides of the political spectrum, both Trump and Sanders are incredibly skilled at garnering support by utilizing buzzwords and oversimplifications. Both politicians also “dumb down” their key arguments to be understandable by even the most politically illiterate of their supporters. Unlike most politicians, Trump and Sanders argue that the root of their problems is in America’s massive institutions, and they are the voices of the disenfranchised people fighting against said power structures. The phrase “Make America Great Again” has acted as a rallying cry for Trump supporters; it is imprinted on millions of hats nationwide, yet many of his supporters are unsure of what Trump intends to do if given the option to “bring back America's greatness.”

The substantial problem with allowing populism to become a dominant ideology in American politics is that the intellectual aspect of politics is taken out of the conversation. Medium journalist Allen Faulton states, “Populism offers a simple solution to a complex problem.” He goes on to say that “It’s part of the allure—this idea that there’s a simple fix that other people are simply too dumb, corrupt, or blinkered to see and that the Great Leader has identified.” It convinces people to care about American issues that they know nothing about. Populism in modern American politics is structured so that the average voter who supports a candidate’s economic policies is more inclined to assume that their candidate is an expert on social topics, and said voter will agree with their candidate to maintain consistency. While having developed and well-reasoned political beliefs is beneficial, a large part of politics involves the candidate’s individual experience, and this aspect is removed from the equation with populist frameworks.

As the 2024 presidential election neared, I began to see more and more celebrities, actors, and singers like Harrison Ford and Kanye West announcing who they thought deserved to run the country for the next four years. The vast majority of the celebrities who spoke out for and against each candidate didn’t necessarily have more understanding or political know-how than those they preached to, but due to the celebrities’ immense fame, many general voters couldn’t help but listen to their political calls to action.

Populism in America pushes voters onto two tracks of the political spectrum—they go further than the vague lines between Democrats and Republicans and move into the realm of polar extremism. Policies are no longer based on individual opinions but decided in blocs with other voters. While this external influence on individual thought is not unheard of, the added weight of political opinions on relationships has created substantial pressure for many to fit in with the crowd. Furthermore, populism broadens the division between conservative and liberal Americans, and while previous presidential elections were by no means free of slander, current populism exacerbates American voters’ worst characteristics.

A large part of why populism thrives in America and other countries is because it is viewed by many politicians as another step up in the evolution of politics. At its basic form, populism serves only to increase the voting base of those who employ it. This is not necessarily by swaying existing voters but by getting previously disinterested voters into politics. While increasing political interest is a great thing for American democracy, it’s done by flooding citizens with advertisements and catchy slogans as opposed to convincing them with intellectual arguments.

Populism in America as it exists today is a clear detriment to both American culture and relationships between people with opposing ideologies. No longer can people who are diametrically opposed coexist, for each individual’s set of beliefs challenges the other’s right to exist. Both sides believe that the fundamental values of their opposition dictate removing their dissenter’s right to live in a free and democratic society. Whether or not this fear is real no longer matters—disrespectful political discourse has penetrated social groups across the nation. Commodifying politics to maximize voter bases has led to this decline in political integrity across America.